OHIO students talk with, learn from inspiring leader at Lead Live event

Students from Ohio University’s Walter Center for Strategic Leadership gathered in the Baker University Center Theater on Feb. 10 to learn from Louisa Vilela, the CEO and founder of the Latin America Institute of Business — better known as LAIOB. 

Vilela was the speaker for one of the Walter Center’s signature events, Lead Live.

Lead Live is more than an event; it is an invitation. It's an invitation to slow down, lean in, and engage in the kind of honest, unscripted conversation that rarely happens in a lecture hall or boardroom.

Attendees are encouraged to relax and enjoy an open dialogue with a prominent leader who is actively working to make a difference in the world. The titles and formalities fade into the background, and what remains is something far more valuable: genuine curiosity, shared stories and the kind of human connection that stays with you long after you leave the room.

Vilela shared that she and her husband, Andre, founded LAIOB in 2014 — but the story behind it starts long before that. Earlier in their careers, Vilela and her husband were fortunate enough to have opportunities to study abroad, to travel internationally for work, and to experience firsthand the way those encounters shape you, professionally and personally.

They knew how rare that was. And they knew how many talented, driven people back home would never get that same chance — not because they weren’t deserving, but simply because the door had never been opened for them. So, they built that door themselves.

LAIOB was built with a specific purpose: to give executives and professionals from Latin America access to the kind of international business education and cultural exchange that can redefine a career — and a life. Ohio University was among the very first universities to partner with LAIOB, and that early commitment reflects a belief that education is most powerful when it takes you somewhere, literally and figuratively.

Throughout the conversation, Vilela touched on the geo-political challenges that can complicate the best-laid travel plans, but her perspective never wavered. She spoke with quiet conviction about the importance of leading through inspiration rather than authority, and about the beauty of embracing imperfection. Her words carried the kind of warmth that only comes from someone who has lived what she teaches.

“We are humans, and we cannot rely on fostering our inspiration, our growth or things we believe in on only one person,” Vilela said.

She also spoke lovingly about her husband and children, making clear that the partnership she and her husband share extends seamlessly from their home life into their work. It was a reminder that behind every bold vision is a team — and often, a family.

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Grace Cantwell, a senior studying data analytics and management information systems, co-hosted the event alongside junior Kasielle Carroll. Cantwell admitted she was nervous sitting in front of a room full of her peers, but Vilela’s warmth and energy quickly put her at ease.

“She was incredibly warm, engaging and genuinely charming,” Cantwell said. “There’s a reason she’s so successful—her personality is effortlessly vibrant, and that energy made the entire experience feel natural.”

For Cantwell, the biggest takeaway was how closely Vilela’s mission mirrors the Walter Center’s mission. It was a powerful reminder of why events like Lead Live matter — because when students hear their own values reflected to them through the voice of a remarkable leader, something clicks. Both LAIOB and the Walter Center are rooted in the same belief: that people can become the very best versions of themselves, and that the right experiences can help get them there.

“She was talking about the purpose of LAIOB,” Cantwell said. “I remember this because it was very similar to the Walter Center, honestly. Build bridges to transformative journeys. That’s their purpose. That stood out to me because that’s what the Walter Center is all about.”

For Carroll, a senior studying strategic leadership, management, and entrepreneurship, the event held personal significance. As a Latina herself, she was especially moved to be in conversation with someone who shares her background and has built something extraordinary from it.

“I think it’s really important to have people you can look up to with similar backgrounds, so that was honestly what pulled me to do it,” Carroll said.

Carroll came with a question close to her heart — one about navigating the tension between cultures, between where you come from and where you are going.

“I wanted to ask her how hard it is dealing with the cultural differences between coming from Brazil and going to the U.S.,” Carroll said. “How she stays within her culture while also having to work within different environments. I was really excited to ask that because I find myself struggling with that sometimes.”

Vilela’s answer was one of grace and gratitude. Rather than dwelling on the difficulty, she spoke about the gifts that come from living between cultures. And she spoke about the moments that keep her going — the success stories of the professionals and learners she works with, the ones who took a chance, stepped outside their comfort zones and came back changed. Those are the stories that remind her, again and again, why the work matters.

Carroll also reflected on why Lead Live itself is so valuable — not just as an event, but as an experience.

“I think Lead Live provides a really good environment to feel open to ask those questions and go up to them afterwards, which I feel is also hard to do,” Carroll said. “So I really enjoy that.”

Janna Chimeli, the director of International Executive Education Programs, echoed that sentiment. What resonates most with her about LAIOB is how closely aligned it is with Ohio University’s educational philosophy: that the most powerful learning happens when knowledge and lived experience come together.

“This combination of education and experience not only gives you skills but also gives you the experience that helps with more than that,” Chimeli said. “It opens up your mind to different perspectives and different ways of thinking.”

For Chimeli, the most compelling moment of the evening was Vilela’s reflection on what it truly means to step outside your comfort zone — and why international experience is one of the most transformative things anyone — at any stage of their career — can pursue.

“Not only to grow personally and professionally, but it’s very unique and complex,” Chimeli said. “That has all kinds of characteristics that help you grow professionally.”

Chimeli also took a moment to express her gratitude to the Walter Center’s leadership — a reminder that the experiences our students and participants receive do not happen by accident. They are the result of dedicated people who believe deeply in the power of this work.

“I think Jen (Traxler) and Amy (Toth) are great leaders, and so I’m not surprised that they developed this venue,” she said.

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And that, perhaps, is the quiet power of Lead Live — and of the Walter Center itself. It is a room where people are seen, where questions are welcomed and where the distance between where someone stands today and where they are capable of going gets just a little bit smaller.

The Walter Center is grateful to the leaders who walk through the doors and give so generously of their time, stories and wisdom. In addition, the Walter Center is proud of the students and participants who show up with open minds and courageous questions.

Events like this one are a testament to what the Walter Center has always believed: that when the right people come together in the right room, extraordinary things are possible.